ITRI SEMINAR
               Thursday 28th October at 12.00

                      Kees van Deemter
               ITRI, University of Brighton


         Vague Descriptors in Crisp Descriptions

Vague words (`large', `small', `hot', etc.) are a notorious source 
of trouble for semantic theories, because it is sometimes unclear 
whether they can be ascribed truthfully to an object. (A cup of 
coffee, for example, may start out _hot_ and end up _cold_, while 
being indeterminate in between.) Yet, a vague descriptor can 
be part of a definite description that is perfectly crisp and 
which allows a reader/hearer to single out a unique entity. (E.g., 
`Could you pass me _the hot cup_ please'.) In this talk, which 
reports on work in progress, the following questions will be 
explored:

1. What is the meaning of a definite description 
   that contains a vague adjective?
2. Under what circumstances is it felicitous to use 
   such a description?
3. How may the Dale & Reiter algorithm be modified 
   generate such descriptions?

The aim of the enterprise is twofold: Firstly, we aim to shed 
light on the paradox that vague expressions are so ubiquitous, 
and yet so difficult to model. Secondly, we hope to provide 
some insights into the question how a language generator can 
bridge the gap between raw data (e.g. the tuples in a relational 
database) and linguistic form (e.g. a vague or quantified NP).